Overcoming challenges

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One of those coaches, Charlie Scott, who manages the Yankees, the league’s lowest-functioning team, stuck with the league even when he and his family moved from East Meadow to Commack three years ago. “I’m going to stay with this as long as I can,” Scott said. “I do it because it puts a smile on a kid’s face. And that’s fun for me.”

Scott, whose three sons have all volunteered in the league, said he understands how important game day is to the players. “Some of the kids wake up their parents at 5 a.m. in full uniform,” he said. “They say, ‘It’s time to play baseball.’”

Who wins the games isn’t important. What is important, said Stu Febesh, who manages the Cyclones, is creating an environment that enables the kids to succeed. “My objective is to help these kids develop a sense of confidence in themselves,” he said. “We’re all here to help each other, and make sure everybody leaves with a smile on their face.”

And judging by the smiling faces of the players, coaches and parents on a recent Sunday afternoon, it’s clear that they have succeeded. “This league is honestly one of the happiest places I’ve ever been in my life,” Febesh said. “Nobody judges anybody.”